My name is Vijay Daniels and I am a general internist and clinician educator in the Department of Medicine at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. With that said, none of what I share on this website represents the views of my department, faculty, or my university, and they do not necessarily represent views of my fellow Christian doctors.
If you want to find out more about my clinical and academic practice, check out my website: www.drvijaydaniels.ca
Short answer, no. I grew up going to Winnipeg Evangelical Free Church, and then in undergrad at UBC in Vancouver I went to University Chapel on campus which has a Brethren heritage. When I returned to Winnipeg for medical school I attended Church of the Rock, quite a charismatic Pentecostal church. When I came to Edmonton for residency, I began attending McKernan Baptist and this has been our church home ever since 2005.
As of late, my focus has been on ecumenism as we all are "The Church", and I believe any church (i.e. specific congregation) that is firmly based in the truth of the bible can help one grow in their faith.
In early summer of 2001, I was completing my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Math at the University of British Columbia when I received my acceptance to medical school back home in Winnipeg at the University of Manitoba. At the time, I had dyed purple hair, and I was playing bass in a band in Vancouver that Sony was checking out (or so our agent told us).
So I was faced with a choice: What would I rather be doing at age 40: option 1) if possible, would I want to play huge shows in arenas around the world or 2) would I want to be a doctor who took care of patients while also teaching medical students and residents, married with kids, and a dog, and a music room in the basement?
Very quickly I came to the decision that option 2 would be the path, and I never looked back. I have been blessed with a wonderfully supportive wife, three happy and healthy children, a COVID puppy in January 2021, and yes I have the music room with a bunch of guitars, basses, and a drum set. And God has been immensely generous with the opportunities He has given me and my wife in our careers. God has been good throughout my journey from rockstar to doctor and onwards.